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Fix the Rangers? It's more like fix the fans by dressing up as the ghost of Jacob Marley sending three ghosts to the fanbase.

The ghost of Rangers past would bring Rangers fans back 10 years. I'd have them look at the roster, prospects, and coaching staff to give them some perspective on an organization that has REAL problems. A team with an aging forward group and a prospect pool void of....anything. A coaching staff led by Ron Low and soon to be led by Brian Trottier! Then the ghost would introduce the fans to Mike Dunham. Just so the people that bash Hank for not making a key save or giving up a "juicy" rebound could see what a bad goaltender is all about!

The ghost of Rangers present would buy every fan center ice so the fans could see that other teams have bad periods, bad stretches of games, injuries, and prospects that don't take off right away. It would be a shock since for our loyal fanbase the grass is ALWAYS greener on another team.

Then the ghost of Rangers seasons future would be an alternate reality where the suggestions made in this thread are put into practice. I'm sure with laughable results!!

This team doesn't need fixing. They aren't going to play perfect hockey. This rush to trade guys, give up on guys, etc is pure and utter nonsense. If a player is between 22-26 years old and has a few bad games or doesn't score as much as (insert player) who players for (insert team) then that player sucks and will always suck. Go back a few weeks and look at the Hagelin and Stepan threads to see what I'm talking about. Really....what the hell has happened to Rangers fans?

We need to start holding posters accountable for the crazy **** they say. Everybody do yourself a favor and start taking mental notes of the people who jump off the edge of reality after every loss. They will be easy to remember because they are the same posters that think we are Stanley Cup contenders after a 3 game winning streak!

NYR besides lacking scoring seriously lack edge . Team is very vanilla and besides some early season staged fights have yet to establish any kind of hard to play against mentality . Ill tone down my Anti Torts assault , but I'm curious as to why this team doesn't play on the edge at all . The Broons are so hard to play against because Marchand , Lucic , and Horton and Thornton all play with a mean streak . Paul Maclean and Chris Neil in company play with a mean streak . NYR have a few staged pugilists and no borderline on the edge tear your head off psychos .
I'm starting to feel despite their lack of goal scoring prowess Dubi and Prusters balls / edge is dearly missed .

This is looking more and more like the '06 to '07 Mets: take the '06 season by storm, being the best team in the regular season. Then falling JUST short of the final series, getting HUGE expectations going into '07...and...then a collapse. ****.

This is looking more and more like the '06 to '07 Mets: take the '06 season by storm, being the best team in the regular season. Then falling JUST short of the final series, getting HUGE expectations going into '07...and...then a collapse. ****.

Or, even closer to home; the 06-07 to 07-08 Rangers.

Make a lot of noise in the 07 playoffs, go out and make big moves in the offseason and go into the 07-08 season looking like a powerhouse, then... Collapse.

Make a lot of noise in the 07 playoffs, go out and make big moves in the offseason and go into the 07-08 season looking like a powerhouse, then... Collapse.

True; just figured the ECF and the NLCS were the penultimate series to winning it all would be a good comparison. At least the Rangers made the playoffs the next season! The Mets have not made the playoffs since then (every metropolitan team--even the Islanders!--have made the playoffs since the last time the Mets made it )

The team really hasn't found it's identity yet, and with the short season and injuries, etc, it just may not be in the cards this year. This season could be a bust. Very possible, maybe even likely. But I would not de-construct just yet. No major changes in personnel or coaching at this point. Next year is likely to be a whole lot better, and there is stilla chance that can happen late THIS season.

As far as what I can actually do to help the team? I forgot to wash my Ranger's shirt, which I do after every loss since the last lockout. I have to "wash out" the loss. Hey don't laugh, it's been working. I'll put that in the wash today. Win streak coming up!

Whether it's having the guys go out and play a game of lazertag or paintball, or having Sullivan show up in the room wearing a dress and hitting people in the face with a cream pie...someone needs to flip the mood.

Forget about optimal practice time, watching video and all that technical crapola for a day. Just go out and do something wacky. Like Gretzky said to Jokinen, "go out and eat a cheeseburger".

"Of course giving Sather cap space is like giving teenagers whiskey and car keys." - SBOB"Watching Sather build a team is like watching a blind man with no fingers trying to put together an elaborate puzzle." - Shadowtron
My MS Excel crashed so I couldn't watch the game. - ReggieDunlop68

The team really hasn't found it's identity yet, and with the short season and injuries, etc, it just may not be in the cards this year. This season could be a bust. Very possible, maybe even likely. But I would not de-construct just yet. No major changes in personnel or coaching at this point. Next year is likely to be a whole lot better, and there is stilla chance that can happen late THIS season.

As far as what I can actually do to help the team? I forgot to wash my Ranger's shirt, which I do after every loss since the last lockout. I have to "wash out" the loss. Hey don't laugh, it's been working. I'll put that in the wash today. Win streak coming up!

This year could be the 1993 to our 1994 (something I actually eluded to before the season even began). I could even see Torts being fired and replaced with someone Keenan-esque.

I am not going to debate the merits of the choices made, I am interested in seeing what some of you guys would do if put in position to run this team.

I am going to reply to this post with my own thoughts.

We can all get deep into fantasy moves and such, please try to be as realistic as possible in your approach.

Should be interesting.

So I guess first question would be fix the team from a coaching standpoint, or fix the team from General Manager standpoint?

As coach :

Not so much about personnal. More about what you can mold out of the hunk of clay you are given.
Three biggest areas of concern for me in order would be...
1) Bring them together. Some new faces here. Shortened season. Not a lot of time to get acclimated. In practice I'm running my lines the same way I am on game day. I'm letting them know what each ones roles are and what expectation are of them. I'd want each player to know where he stood in the coaches eyes. I'm certain the Rangers are already doing this, however I don't feel that each player knows where he stand individually with the coach.
2) Power play...No brainer. Drastic approach needs to be implemented here. I think outside help is the way to go. There's enough people employed by this organization. So many great hockey minds. I'm calling a meeting with the whole group to come up with one person who they feel is worthy of running this. Bring him in, and change it up.
3) Cutting ice time on my top line. Nash before the injury was being overused. Early on Richards was too. This system is grueling on players. Works better when top producers aren't overworked. 24 minutes is too much ice for a forward. If your not going to run a 4th line with enforcers that means you have more guys that can handle regular shifts. Know what you are working with. Top line center is aged. Top line RW is a big guy. Can't overwork a big guy by grinding him. Keep your top line fresh. Cut ice time on your second line as well. Give you bottom 6 more opportunity. If you look at a team like the Habs, thier third line is as important to the club as the top two lines. They are cohesive as a unit. Rangers, nearly 20 games in don't truly have designated lines yet.

Just to go a little deeper on designated lines. I'm obviously not a proponent of line changes on a nightly basis. But...if there is a player that is struggling in a certain position then I am all for bring up a guy that can create some competition from that said struggling player. But...I won't chance my whole roster around to make that happen. Subtle moves.

As GM:

Identify what the club is lacking through the coaching staff. If the coaching staff asks you for player A, and you deliver player A with failed results then you demand they do thier job with what you provided.

This year expectation were very high. Analysts, beat writers, opposing GM's, former players etc all considered the Rangers to be the team to beat. They weren't wrong. Rangers have a ton of the right pieces in place. Evidenced by the run they made last season. They were close. As a GM I would never dismantle this club.

Again, as a group through the staff employed I am going to look into what pieces are missing and what pieces are expendable.

To me right now expendable pieces are Boyle, Pyatt, 2 3rd round picks.
Depending on the return I'd consider Del Zotto as well.

First deal I'm looking to accomplish is one of Boyle or Pyatt and the pick for Clowe. Yeah I know...Clowe is too slow, getting older etc. I'd want Clowe here to ride shotgun for JT Miller. I'm looking at the move as bringing in a guy that has the physical aspects that make others around him play maybe that much bigger. More confident, etc.

Now on Del Zotto. I certainly wouldn't look to move him straight up for and unsigned Ryan O'Reilly. If Barrie or say a Duncan Siemens was in the mix then I'm ok with it. Before any of that transpires I would need to know with certainty that McDonagh and Girardi are ok. Otherwise MDZ is completely off the block.

Last move would be for a rental player to fill in on the top 6. A durable guy that can put the in the net and win battles along the boards. Should be a fairly good amt of players available at the deadline.

This season is done. Finished. Over. Yes you heard me, over. The Rangers haven't looked this bad in a LONG time even prior to the injuries. Torts did not get this team ready to compete for this clown show of a season for whatever reason and it's obvious. Even if by some miracle everyone gets healthy and they make the playoffs as a bottom seed they're not sniffing series wins against PIT/BOS/NJ.

That being said here's how to fix the Rangers:

1. Keep our entire top 4 D together. If I see another ROR for MDZ proposal I will lose my ****. MDZ is going nowhere unless it's a package for an offensive gamebreaker coming the other way
2. Trade Gaborik at the deadline/draft. Gaborik is a player with huge value that could net us a huge return. Gaboriks game does not fit this team at ALL. The guy is afraid for his life to have the puck on his stick and between Stepan and 2013 Richards we don't have a C good enough to distribute the puck to him as needed
3. Buy out Richards. The guy is done. Completely different player than what he was in DAL. He hasn't lost a step, he's lost 10. He was good last year in the playoffs but even last year he showed signs of decline. This year he is on his own planet. Replace with Getzlaf if possible
4. Tank in this joke of an NHL season and trade up at the draft for a top 5 pick using 1st from Gaborik trade. Use said pick to draft an OFFENSIVELY GIFTED forward. If this team drafts another defensemen in the first round I will throw a cinder block at my TV. We need our own Crosby/Stamkos/Seguin/Landeskog type player. A team full of Stepans is lovely except for the fact that he doesn't score. But at least his "hockey IQ" is off the charts. I hate to be that guy but we miss Cherepanov badly (RIP)

This season is done. Finished. Over. Yes you heard me, over. The Rangers haven't looked this bad in a LONG time even prior to the injuries. Torts did not get this team ready to compete for this clown show of a season for whatever reason and it's obvious. Even if by some miracle everyone gets healthy and they make the playoffs as a bottom seed they're not sniffing series wins against PIT/BOS/NJ.

That being said here's how to fix the Rangers:

1. Keep our entire top 4 D together. If I see another ROR for MDZ proposal I will lose my ****. MDZ is going nowhere unless it's a package for an offensive gamebreaker coming the other way
2. Trade Gaborik at the deadline/draft. Gaborik is a player with huge value that could net us a huge return. Gaboriks game does not fit this team at ALL. The guy is afraid for his life to have the puck on his stick and between Stepan and 2013 Richards we don't have a C good enough to distribute the puck to him as needed
3. Buy out Richards. The guy is done. Completely different player than what he was in DAL. He hasn't lost a step, he's lost 10. He was good last year in the playoffs but even last year he showed signs of decline. This year he is on his own planet. Replace with Getzlaf if possible
4. Tank in this joke of an NHL season and trade up at the draft for a top 5 pick using 1st from Gaborik trade. Use said pick to draft an OFFENSIVELY GIFTED forward. If this team drafts another defensemen in the first round I will throw a cinder block at my TV. We need our own Crosby/Stamkos/Seguin/Landeskog type player. A team full of Stepans is lovely except for the fact that he doesn't score. But at least his "hockey IQ" is off the charts. I hate to be that guy but we miss Cherepanov badly (RIP)

Largely agree, except as to trading Gaborik, which should only be considered if all other options to recover cap are eliminated. Return would not be the sniper Gaborik certainly is now.

Once and for all, maybe you guys who were doubting me will now finally come around and admit I was right, including that, if keeping the higher end of our core, we should move Stepan and Girardi for a talent upgrade. Don't want the excessive hand wringing that Girardi is our righty, etc. balance is nice, important, but maybe more than icing, even if frosting, it is still not cake, talent upgrade is what's needed here.

Lose Torts, let the kids play. next year Lindberg and Fast will compete.

No sacred cows.
don't be afraid to go 2 steps back today to go 5 steps ahead next year.

look at Chicago. Got lucky in G at last, ftm, but otherwise sensible to develop talent. Their distressed backline last year is back in good form. So much so top D prospect, first rounder Dylan Olsen is at the AHL, as is first rounder Mark McNeil.

Stop with all the bellyaching.
I don't care if KREIDER plays C for half a year as a stop gap!

Boyle + Christian Thomas, + maybe a pick if necessary, --- 2 steps back --- for Olsen and McNeil --- 3.5 steps ahead next year, with upside on how they develop. That's a deal Chicago can afford to do, and on paper wants to do.

Boyle + Christian Thomas, + maybe a pick if necessary, --- 2 steps back --- for Olsen and McNeil --- 3.5 steps ahead next year, with upside on how they develop. That's a deal Chicago can afford to do, and on paper wants to do.

Check out offers for Girardi/Stepan, separately, or jointly.

You are smoking crack if you think Chicago takes that deal. The only thing the Blackhawks want to do when Slats proposes that is hang up the phone.

Rangers real problem is the third line right wing. Both Miller and Kreider are more center left wings. They need to find space for Miller and Kreider and find a third line right wing. That means Callahan needs to play third line right wing. Even if it is below him right now. He is the only one capable. Miller needs to play third line center and Kreider needs to get minutes on the top two lines to be effective.

1. Get better fans.
2. Look up what HFNYR recommends and do the opposite.

This place needs more homer fans?

"You Rangers, you are the wind beneath my wings. So, you didn't respond to the Pacioretty hit and our inept coach was telling you guys to still block shots on a 5-on-3 when the game was over. You golden champions, I believe in you. At least you showed up to the game yesterday, and that's half the battle.

There's no passion. It's like watching a bunch of zombies play hockey. They show no life. No aggressiveness. This falls on Torts. He's neutered them. "Shut up and play." They don't stick up for each other because that's not what Torts preaches. Turn the other cheek. Pathetic.

Yes, let's trade the guy who has had 2 40+ goal seasons and has had his career highs as a Ranger. Yes, let's trade Gaborik....

Everybody knows Gaborik can score goals when he's motivated to play hard but he disappears far too often for long periods of time and he is virtually invisible and useless during those games.
Sometimes the sum of the parts don't equal the bottom line and for me personally, I haven't liked his game from day #1 and I and many other posters around here are sick and tired of his sorry act!

Trade him for a combo of high pick or picks and some useful parts that we can put into the lineup right now.